1. Field
The present disclosure relates to covers for food service pans and food containment systems. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to ovenable, heat-shrinkable covers for food service pans and food containment systems.
2. Background
Large food service pans are used for cooking, serving, and storing food in commercial food service establishments. These pans can be used in food servers, such as steam tables, buffet tables, chill tables, salad bars, chafing dishes, and the like. These pans can be used, for example, to cook and heat food, store food, and/or as transfer pans to carry large portions of food to and from a serving area. Conventional metal (e.g., stainless steel) food service pans are available in a variety of shapes, including rectangular and circular shapes. Such pans typically have a flange extending around a peripheral edge of the open pan top. The flange supports the pan in a steam or buffet table, provides a steam seal around a steam table, and offers a convenient lifting and carrying point. When used in a steam table, buffet table, salad bar, or the like, the pan body (e.g., the food receptacle portion) and flange are typically dimensioned so that the receptacle is received into an opening in the table or bar and supported by its flange resting upon the edges of the table or bar opening.
With the primary objective of moisture retention, various sheets, films, and covers have been used to cover such pans during food preparation, cooking, and storage. For example, paper sheets of cellulosic fibers have been used, as well as various plastic films. Thin metal foils, so-called tin foils, which are in reality thin sheets of aluminum, have also been used extensively for cooking, heating, and storing foods.
Difficulties with such conventional covers include tearing, breaking, leaking, and the inability to stack the pans in a refrigerator, walk-in box, or in transport. Also, many covers are not ovenable (i.e., the cover cannot be subjected to cooking temperatures without melting, cracking or contaminating food). For example, metal foils are notoriously easy to puncture and tear (e.g., by serving utensils). Further, metal foils are opaque and do not allow easy viewing of the contents of the container. They also cannot be heated in a microwave oven. In addition, sheets of metallic materials are relatively expensive as compared to other materials.
While paper sheets are useful for some culinary purposes, they are not ideal for pan covering because they are easily torn, are moisture and air permeable, and do not seal well around pans. In addition, paper sheets are typically not suitable for high temperature cooking applications.
Thermoplastic films, such as polyethylene films, offer greater durability. However, a problem with conventional films is that they typically do not grip or cling well to a pan edge, thereby allowing spillage, leakage, or spoilage. Furthermore, many thermoplastic films are not ovenable and, therefore, cannot be used when reheating or cooking food in the pan. Some films even emit dangerous chemicals when heated.
In an attempt to overcome the shortcomings of conventional coverings, industry practice has been to use multiple coverings to cover a single pan. For example, a layer of plastic film (for puncture and tear resistance) is wrapped over the pan, followed by a layer of foil to hold the plastic film in place. This practice increases the time and expense for covering a pan. And still, the negative features of the plastic film and the foil are not overcome.
Still another disadvantage of these conventional pan covering methods is frequent worker injury. Covering a pan typically involves pulling a plastic sheet or metal foil from a roll and forcing the sheet or foil against a serrated metal cutter edge to remove a desired length of the plastic sheet or foil. When moving quickly, as workers in a commercial kitchen are often required to do, a worker can cut his or her finger or hand on the cutter edge. Such a cut is an undesirable incident in a food service environment.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved food service pan cover. In particular, there is a need for a simple, flexible, replaceable, disposable, transparent, and durable pan cover having non-stick and high temperature attributes, that conforms to the shape, size, and contour of the pan or food receptacle. Further, there is a need for pan covers that provide moisture retention, reduce leakage, and allow multiple pans to be stacked on top of each other.